PHNOM PENH: Visiting Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today received a red carpet welcome at Cambodia’s Peace Palace, in conjunction with his three-day official visit to the kingdom.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and wife Bun Rany greeted Dr Mahathir and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali upon arrival at the palace at 9 am local time (10 am Malaysian time) before the national anthems of Malaysia and Cambodia were played.

Then Dr Mahathir inspected a guard-of-honour mounted by the Cambodian Armed Forces.

Earlier, despite the rain, hundreds of students and locals lined-up at the entrance of Peace Palace to welcome Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah.

Dr Mahathir is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Hun Sen. The leaders will discuss initiatives to strengthen Malaysia-Cambodia bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest to the two countries.

Both leaders are expected to witness the signing ceremony of the Agreement on the Elimination of Double Taxation with Respect to Taxes on Income and Prevention of Tax Evasion and Avoidance, and the Memorandum-of-Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism.

Later today, Dr Mahathir will pay a courtesy call to President of Senate House and Acting Head of State, Samdech Vibol Sena Pheakdey Say Chhum and attend a dialogue with Malaysian businessmen and investors, involving 28 Malaysian companies operating in Cambodia.

This evening, Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah will be attending an official dinner hosted by Hun Sen.

In 2018, Malaysia’s total trade with Cambodia was valued at US$558.5 million, an increase of 22.6% from that of 2017. Malaysia is currently the fourth largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) for Cambodia, with a total of US$2.73 billion. - Bernama